BIRDS SINGING IN THE NIGHT. 
BY 
M. L. FISHER. 
(Purdue University. ) 
These notes were taken in the summer of 1918. On June 19th, the writer 
went to the northeast part of Monroe county near the Brown county line to 
spend his summer vacation. Having forgotten his camp-cot it was necessary 
to sleep on the ground for about a week. Not being used to sleeping on the 
ground the bumps on the surface were not conducive to sound slumber; 
also, the deadly fear which the writer has for snakes, of which rattle- 
snakes and copperheads were reported to be plentiful, tended to keep him 
sensitive to every little noise. Being so easily aroused the writer was at- 
tracted by the bird notes which were noticeable at all hours of the night. 
The following are some of the observations : 
June 19th. 
The yellow-breasted chat seemed to be almost as noisy at night as in the 
daytime, for every few minutes he would cackle in his characteristic way. 
At 10:30 and at 2:30 (Daylight Saving Time) the cawing of the crow 
was noted. 
In the early part of the night the whip-poor-wills were exceedingly lively, 
but about 11:00 o’clock their notes stopped. 
June 20th. 
The yellow-breasted chat again made the night musical, although not so 
frequently as on the previous night. 
At various intervals the tufted titmouse and yellow-billed cuckoo added 
to the night noises. 
June 21st. 
The yellow-billed cuckoo was noticed at 10:15. 
June 22nd and 23rd. 
The whip-poor-wills were noisy throughout both nights, from early in the 
evening until early morning. The writer noted that very frequently the 
note of the whip-poor-will would be repeated more than a hundred times 
without pausing. Very frequently the pause would be but for an instant, 
and then it would be continued as long as previously. This would be kept 
up sometimes until several series had been sounded. 
June 24th. 
This was a rainy night and no bird notes were noted. 
It was evident that a rainy night depressed the spirit of the songsters so 
that they were comparatively quiet. 
June 25th. 
Whip-poor-wills were noted at 4:00 o’clock A. M. 
June 29th. 
Whip-poor-will noted at 12:15. Also, the barred owl. The hooting of the 
barred owl was very interesting. He seemed to be located on a hill at some 
distance to the left of the writer’s tent. He gave his notes of ‘“Whoo-whoo- 
